The Golden State
by Danaides
Summary: Sara returns home after a death in her family and soon needs Grissom's help to deal with some startling news.. WIP and eventual GSR. Please R&R! Ch 11 is up! STORY COMPLETE
1. News

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine. **

**SPOILERS: Slight refs to Season 5 premiere and DTD.**

**A/N: This is not a case file but it does have a little mystery/drama and eventual GSR, of course. This is my first WIP and I will try to update quickly. Please review! ( No flames please.)**

A distant ringing slowly woke Sara from a deep sleep. She lifted her head from the pillow and blinked rapidly as she tried to focus on her alarm clock. She finally realized it wasn't her alarm. It was also noon and she had only been asleep for an hour.

"Hello?" Sara cleared her throat and waited for the caller to reply.

"Sara, it's me." A familiar soft voice made it's way to Sara's ears and suddenly she was wide-awake.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Sara's voiced cracked slightly as she rolled over and up into a sitting position on the edge of her bed.

"You need to come home Sara. I _need_ you to come home now."

Sara held her breath and waited a beat before she spoke.

"Mom, what –"Sara started.

"Your father is dead. It was an accident, a horrible accident. Please come home."

Sara heard muffled sobs and then the phone clicked. Her mother had hung up. Sara placed the phone on the bed and sat in stunned silence. She was seriously considering pinching herself. But she knew that her mom's news was very real. _Dad's dead_. Many emotions passed through her as the finality of it sank in. Sadness was not one of them.

XXXXXX

"You got a minute?" Sara leaned on the doorframe of Grissom's office. Grissom looked up and smiled. It quickly faded when he saw the expression on Sara's face. Usually he could read her, but this time he couldn't quite figure it out.

"Of course, sit down." Grissom dropped his pen onto the desk and removed his glasses. Leaning back in his chair he made sure Sara knew she had his full attention. Sara closed the door, which both surprised Grissom and made him a little nervous.

"I need to take some personal leave.' Sara began as she sank into the chair opposite Grissom's desk. "I know it has only been a few weeks since my... vacation," Sara wasn't sure she could call the time-off after her near DUI a vacation, but she was lacking for a better word. "but it's a family emergency actually and I have to go today. I don't know how long I will be gone, at least a week maybe more. It's going to be complicated."

"Okay." Grissom was hoping Sara would give more details of this emergency but she seemed very hesitant. "Well, I think we can manage without you for a week certainly and longer if we need to. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Sara swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked quickly to try and hide her conflicted emotions. She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. Her counselor had advised her to confide in her supervisor. She had tried many times but couldn't seem to bring herself to tell Grissom anything about her family. She needed someone to confide in though, especially now. Could she trust him? She wanted to, but once you open up, just one crack in the façade and there's no going back. She had been hurt that way so many times already.

"Sara?" Grissom's voice gently pulled Sara back to reality.

"Sorry. The truth is my mother called me earlier and told me that father was killed in an accident. She didn't tell me all the details she just said that she needs me to go home. Please don't ask me if I'm o.k. I just need you sign off on the leave."

Grissom's mouth opened slightly and he stared at Sara with concern, not worry, in his eyes. He sighed deeply and leaned forward. Sara finally looked up again and met his gaze.

"Sara, I am so sorry. I won't ask you if you are ok because you obviously are not. Consider the leave granted, you can sign the forms when you get back. I just want you to know that I am here, if you want to talk. Call me anytime, please."

Sara gave Grissom a small grateful smile and nodded. She stood up and paused before opening the door.

"Um, Gris? I would appreciate you not telling anyone else about my father. If I decide I want the team to know, I'll call you o.k.?"

"Sure, whatever you want Sara."

"Thanks."

Sara opened the door and walked down the hall. Grissom got up from his desk and stood in the doorway watching her until she was out of sight.

TBC


	2. Home

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine.**

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: I did some research on Tamales Bay and found it spelled both with an "a" and an "o" (Tomales). For the sake of this story I will spell it with the "a" since that is familiar to most CSI fans. I don't have a beta so all errors are mine. Thanks so much for your reviews!**

"Ladies and Gentleman we will be landing at San Francisco International Airport in approximately 20 minutes. Please note the captain has turned on the seatbelt sign and all passengers are to be in their seats. It is a chilly day in San Francisco today, currently 61ï‚ with a small northeasterly breeze and lots of coastal fog so bundle up if you planning on any sightseeing. We hope you have enjoyed your flight with us today and thank you for choosing America West."

Sara stared out her window at the familiar view of the city's skyline. It had been over four years since she had been home but not much had changed. At least not what you could see from the airplane that was currently circling SFO airport.

After picking up her luggage and the key from the Hertz rental agency, the last leg of Sara's journey was underway. She drove the dark blue Ford Focus onto the freeway and followed the signs to merge with Highway 1. Memories were flooding back to her as she drove past old haunts. She even found herself relieving the case of a floater they found near the Bay Bridge her first year at the SF Crime Lab. It was her first unsolved and she would never forget it. The cabin steward on America West had been right about the fog. It grew denser the closer Sara got to the coast. She continued to drive north and soon found herself nearing Tamales Bay. Her heart sank as she thought of the brief phone call with her mother earlier that day. She had tried to call her from the airport to let her know she was on her way and to see if Dylan had arrived yet but got no answer. Sara smiled a little as she thought of her older brother.

Although as intelligent as his sister, Dylan Sidle had a head for business, not forensics. He was a bank manager for Citibank in the Financial District of New York City. When he went away for college he had gone back home for a visit just once over Christmas break his junior year. It was the last time. Sara was curious what he would think of their hometown now. When he had left, like her, he had never looked back.

Sara parked the car across the street from the "The Silent Cove". It was a Bed & Breakfast her parents had owned and operated for most of Sara's life. The pale yellow exterior with white shutters and intricate trellis design was still quaint but showing it's age. They had a prime location overlooking the Pacific Ocean that helped keep The Silent Cove booked solid most of the year. The name actually referred to a section of beach close to the B&B. There was a cove that was part of Tamales Bay State Park and though it was not officially named, Sara and her family had always referred to it as such. It was a small inlet of still ocean waters and beautiful rock formations. When you stood in the middle of it the ocean was suddenly quiet. Sometimes the sound of crashing waves all but disappeared. Sara and her brother often played there as children and imagined they were stranded castaways on a tiny island finding shelter in the cove. No civilized life for miles. It was closer to the truth then they liked to admit.

Sara carried her two small bags up the stairs to the front door. As she set them down to knock, the door opened and she looked up to see her brother standing in the doorway.

"Dylan!" Sara was surprised and pleased to see her brother had beaten her there. She hadn't relished the thought of being alone with her mother.

"Hey little sis." Dylan reached down and drew Sara into an embrace. As they parted Sara observed how little her brother had changed. His chocolate brown eyes mirrored her own. Unlike her however, his hair was sandy blond but it had a natural wave. Dylan had his father's genes expressed much more obviously that Sara did. Sara on the other hand looked just like her mother.

"Sara?" Diana Sidle materialized in the doorway. Her dark brown hair was peppered with gray and was cut shorter than Sara remembered. It was naturally curly and fell just past her ears. Her eyes were puffy and she held a tissue in her right hand. Although she was visibly grieving, her face looked younger than her 58 years. Tears started to fall again as she reached for Sara. Sara complied and hugged her back, content to let her mother cry for a bit on her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, Sara saw her brother's posture stiffen and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet. If he was grieving too, it didn't show and Sara wouldn't expect it to. He reached down and grabbed her bags. Carrying them into the house, he called back to Sara over his shoulder. "I'll put these in your old room." Sara didn't reply as she pried herself from her mother's grasp.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"So – how was the flight?"

Sara looked up from the local newspaper she was skimming as her brother spoke. He took a seat in the recliner opposite the couch she was currently occupying.

"It was fine, thanks. Very short. How was yours?"

Her brother paused for a moment and appeared to be trying to remember.

"It wasn't that long ago Dylan. I mean you got here today right?"

Dylan stood up and avoided Sara's curious stare. "Yes, of course I did. I'm sorry, I was thinking of something else. My flight was fine. Some airlines work miracles when they find out it's a death in the family."

Sara nodded and looked away, apparently satisfied with his answer.

"Mom's taking it really hard." Dylan returned to the recliner.

Sara snorted and rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth to respond but quickly closed it as her mother entered the room carrying a tray. She set it on the coffee table between Sara and Dylan. As she poured tea, her children sat in silence.

"Mom, I need to know exactly what happened to dad. What type of accident was it?" Sara waited for an answer as her mother poured tea. An almost imperceptible glance passed between Diana and her son before she answered. Sara was getting impatient and wanted details. "Mom?"

"He fell. He was walking down on the beach. He must have taken the trail that goes over the cove and fell, onto the rocks." Diana's voice cracked as she spoke and she pulled a tissue from her pants pocket. Fresh tears began to fall and Sara couldn't bear to look at her. She looked instead at Dylan, who refused to meet her eyes. He stood again and walked to the bay window.

"I'm getting some fresh air." Dylan informed them as he started for the front door.

Sara watched him leave and then turned back to her mother.

"When did this happen?"

Diana hesitated before answering. "Sunday."

"Sunday?!" Sara repeated. "That was four days ago! Why didn't you call us sooner? What were you waiting for?"

Diana stared at her hands and didn't answer. She was still crying and Sara decided to let it go for now.

"Well, what did the police say? Did you talk to the CSI on the case?"

"It wasn't a crime Sara, it was an accident. The police said the ME ruled it an accident and they aren't investigating it any further." Diana stared straight ahead with unseeing eyes. "All that is left now is to bury him." She patted Sara's knee and stood up.

"Your brother is making all the funeral arrangements. You might check to see if he needs any help. It's been quiet since you got here but there have been people in and out all week with food and flowers." Diana gestured to the floral arrangements that currently decorated the living room.

"I haven't decided what to do with this place. I am not sure I can run it on my own, or if I even want to. We can discuss it later, as a family. I'm very tired so I'm going to go lie down for a while. Maybe you should do the same."

"No, I'm going to go find Dylan."

Diana sighed and nodded her head. "Your father was far from perfect Sara, but he was still your father and he loved you and your brother. In your own way I believe you and Dylan still loved him too. I know right now you are angry but I believe you will both grieve when you are ready to let go of the past." With that said, Diana turned and left the room.

Sara sat alone on the couch and considered her mother's words. At that moment, she really had no idea what to feel.

TBC


	3. Over the Cove

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine. **

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N:  Thanks again for the reviews! I am writing two chapters at a time so I can update quickly.  Plus, I find it hard to sleep until a story is complete!  Please let me know if you think Sara is at all OOC for the next couple chapters. I am trying to keep it realistic. :)**

Sara quickened her stride as she approached the beach trail at the end of the road. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets and she shivered slightly at the breeze coming off the grey-blue water of the Pacific. As she walked the trail towards the cove she caught sight of her brother standing at the peak of the trail just over the cove. His head was bent down and his shoulders slumped as he stared at the cove below him.

Dylan lifted his head as Sara drew near and he offered her a feeble half-smile. Sara returned it and placed her arm through his. They stood for a long time staring out to sea in a comfortable silence.

"Do you know who found him?" Sara said without looking at Dylan.

"A local man walking his dog on the beach. The dog ran into the cove and found him on those rocks." Dylan pointed at a group of large moss covered boulders jutting out from the right side of the cove.

Sara surmised if there was any evidence of the grisly event on the rocks, it was likely washed out to sea days ago. She couldn't help but think like a CSI. Although the explanation her mother had given seemed plausible and most likely considering her father's drinking habits, she was finding it hard to ignore a niggling feeling that she was not being told everything.

"Mom thinks we should let the past go and grieve our..._loss._" Bitterness dripped from the last word and she glanced at her brother.

"I don't know, maybe it is time. What do you think?"

"I think I'm not as forgiving as you seem to be."

"I'm not talking about forgiveness. I'm just considering that after the funeral we should go back to our lives and let go of the anger and resentment. It only hurts us now, not him."

"He was son-of-a-bitch who beat mom for the majority of our sorry excuse of a childhood. He almost killed her Dylan. I will never forgive him. As far as I'm concerned, good riddance." Sara felt her eyes starting to sting as she unsuccessfully held back tears.

"I understand how you feel, you know I do. But for mom's sake and your own, would you please consider it."

Sara mulled over his words for a few minutes before speaking. "I only survived that house because of you. How could I possibly say no." Sara tightened her grip on Dylan's arm, then released him as she turned to return to the house. Her mother had been right, she was very tired and she needed to get some rest if she was going to make it through the next few days.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara woke up early the next morning with vague memories of a bad dream. She was in her old room and it disoriented her. She suddenly felt like a scared 8 year old. She could hear raised voices down the hall and for a moment believed it was her parents. As the cobwebs in her mind cleared and she listened closer she realized it was her mother and Dylan. She looked around the room and noticed it was painted pastel blue with lace curtains on the window and Tamales Bay visitor brochures on the side table. She was not 8 anymore. Sara sat up and looked at the clock on the nightstand. _Shift is ending. _Sara pictured Grissom sitting at his desk sorting through paperwork and wondered if he was thinking of her too. She scolded herself for thinking like an adolescent schoolgirl and decided that sleeping in this room again was having an effect on her. The loud voices had stopped and Sara heard a faint doorbell. She opened her bedroom door and overheard soft murmurs of condolences as the visitors entered the house. She was not in the mood for strangers. In fact, she realized how much she missed her workmates already. They were her friends and at times felt more like family. She suddenly felt bad she had not shared the reason for her sudden departure. Sara decided it was time to hear a friendly voice.

"Grissom." Gil answered his cell phone abruptly while silently praying it was not Brass. He was tired and just wanted to go home.

"Hi, it's me." Sara bit her lip nervously and waited.

"Sara. Hi, um - how are you?"

"I'm o.k., I think. It's been strange."

Grissom was tempted to ask exactly how Sara's father had died but he didn't want to push her. "So – how's your mother?"

"She's a mess, but that was to be expected. My brother was already here when I arrived so I think he took the worst of it."

"Well, I'm glad you have some support."

"Look Grissom, I've been thinking about telling the team about my dad. I know that if this situation was reversed and it was your mother or Nick's dad or Warrick's grandmother, I would certainly want to know about it. So I think it's only fair that I am open with them too. If you don't mind - "

"Don't worry Sara, I'll take care of it. I think you made the right decision."

"Well, you can't shut everyone out of everything can you?" Sara grimaced slightly as she realized how that must have sounded.

The insinuation was not lost on Grissom and for a moment he felt ashamed. He wasn't even sure why her words affected him that way. He decided not to analyze it and instead considered Sara's current state of mind. What mattered the most was that Sara was reaching out to him and he wasn't going to let her down, not this time.

"I'm glad you called. I was thinking of you."

Sara breath hitched at his words and she smiled. It was amazing what he could do to her with just a few choice words.

"Thanks. Well, I better go. I need to see what arrangements for the funeral still need to be made. If everything goes smoothly I may be back in a few days."

"Don't rush Sara, just take all the time you need. Will you call me again, please?"

Sara was taken aback at Grissom's request. She knew he was concerned about her and assumed she must be suffering a terrible loss. He had no idea the kind of relationship she had had with her father. She wasn't quite ready to tell him about it. They had been making great strides in repairing their friendship, but she wasn't quite ready to completely let him in.

"I'll call again, I promise. Bye."

Grissom held the phone to his ear until he was sure she was gone.

TBC


	4. Evidence

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine.**

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: I think this chapter marks the halfway point! Thanks again for the reviews! I will update soon... enjoy.**

Sara took her time as she showered and got dressed. As she pulled on a navy blue cashmere sweater she heard the front door close. She looked out the bedroom window and watched the well-wishers retreat to their cars. Although she was grateful for their concern for her mother, she was glad they were gone. She was not in the mood for small talk with her parent's friends. Sara descended the stairs and made a beeline for the kitchen. She didn't have much of an appetite, but a persistent throbbing headache told her she needed to eat.

Diana was standing in front of an open fridge, trying to find room for another casserole.

"Good morning." Sara leaned against the counter across from her mother.

"Good morning honey, you're up early." Diana replied as she forced the fridge to shut despite it's overflowing shelves.

"I don't really keep track of the time when it comes to sleep."

"Oh yes, you work the nightshift don't you?"

"Yes mother, for some time now."

Sara had never had a close relationship with her mother. Although her mother liked to pretend that they did. She preferred to see her world through rose-tinted glasses. It was as if she could not face the reality of her life. When she was living at home, Sara could never understand how her mother made excuses for her father's brutal behavior. As Sara got older, she decided that perhaps it was the only way her mother could cope and keep a semblance of normality, if only for her children's sake.

"What were you and Dylan arguing about earlier?" Sara watched her mother carefully while waiting for her reply.

Diana turned away and walked towards the pantry. "Sorry if we woke you. It was nothing really. I want to have a floral wreath with your father's picture in it displayed at the funeral and Dylan doesn't. We can't have an open casket viewing at the funeral home so I thought a picture might be nice. But, it's upsetting to him so I let it go. So, what would you like for breakfast?" Diana asked opening the pantry door.

The quick subject change caught Sara off guard and it took a moment for her to respond. "Um, whatever, something easy with no meat." She had wanted to question her mother further but decided to wait and see what Dylan had to say.

"How about my famous blueberry pancakes?"

Just then Dylan entered the kitchen, as if on cue.

"Did I hear something about mom's pancakes?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara helped her mom clear the breakfast dishes and they loaded the dishwasher. After they finished, Diana headed to the laundry room and Sara seized the opportunity to speak to Dylan alone. She found him sitting in the living room reading the New York Times.

"Where did you find that newspaper around here?' Sara asked as she collapsed on the couch.

Without looking up Dylan said "I didn't, I brought it with me."

"So, I heard you and mom arguing earlier. What was it about?"

Dylan continued to stare at his paper. "It was no big deal, what did mom say?'

"Something about the funeral."

"Yeah, she wanted a picture of dad at the funeral home and I didn't. End of story."

Sara stood up and walked to the bay window. _Damn. Maybe they're telling the truth. No, something is going on. If they won't tell me, then I guess I'll have to start investigating._

"So mom said you were making all the arrangements for the service. When is it?"

"Saturday. I tried to set it up for tomorrow but the funeral home was booked. Mom wanted a simple service at the funeral home and family only at the gravesite."

"What family besides us is coming?"

"I think just Aunt Ruth and her husband. Everyone else on mom's side had excuses. Dad's parents are dead and we don't know where his brother is now. Maybe he'll see the obituary and show up. Who knows."

Sara sighed and sat back on the couch. "What's left to do? Can I help?"

Dylan looked up and thought for minute. "Actually, yes. I forgot to send a final draft of the obituary to the Point Reyes Examiner. It's posted in the Tamales Bay Ledger but mom thought the Examiner would be good too since so many of their old friends live up there now. I have the number if you wouldn't mind calling them.

"No problem, where's the number?"

Dylan started to stand up but Sara stopped him. "Just tell me and I'll get it, you relax."

"Oh, thanks. It's in a pocket of my jacket which I think is on my bed."

Sara entered Dylan's bedroom and saw his jacket lying on the bed. She scanned the room hastily and quietly searched the dresser and nightstand drawers for any evidence that she was being lied to. So far, nothing. As she searched for the phone number in his jacket pockets she pulled out several other pieces of paper. In the left inside pocket she found a small folder, it was folded in half and labeled "American Airlines" Sara opened the folder and pulled out Dylan's plane ticket. She took one look at it and knew this was the evidence she was looking for.

TBC


	5. The Truth

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine. **

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: I really appreciate everyone's reviews and suggestions. I will try and incorporate them as best I can. Just a few more chapters to go...**

"That took awhile. Did you find the number?" Dylan asked as Sara re-entered the living room.

"Yes I did. I also found this." Sara threw the plane ticket onto Dylan's newspaper and it slid onto his lap. At that moment Sara's mother walked into the living room. She didn't know what was happening but sensed the tension.

"What's going on?" Diana looked first at Sara and then at Dylan.

"I found Dylan's plane ticket in his room." Sara turned her attention back to her brother. "You got here last Sunday, not yesterday like you said. Why did you lie to me?"

Dylan sighed and looked at his mother. Diana spoke first. "I told you we should just tell her the truth. She's investigates crimes for living for goodness sake, she would have figured it out!"

"No, I told you I don't want Sara put in that position. Mom, we spent four days arguing about this. She doesn't need to know, it's better this way." Dylan jumped out of his chair and started pacing the floor.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here! What the hell is going on? Dylan, WHAT HAPPENED?" Sara grabbed Dylan's arm and turned him towards her.

Finally, Dylan sat, defeated and held his head in his hands. Diana sank onto the couch and tears began to quietly make trails down her cheeks.

Sara's heart was racing as her only sibling began his confession.

"As you now know, I arrived on Sunday around noon. I had a conference in San Francisco that started Monday. I called mom and she insisted that since I was so close I should stay one night here. When I got here dad actually seemed pleased to see me, I think because it had been so long since we'd been together. Anyway, we managed some small talk and mom made us an early dinner. Afterwards Dad wanted to go for a walk down by the cove and asked me to go with him. So I did.He didn't say much until we reached the top of the trail. The he started bringing up the past. I told him I didn't want to talk about it but he just kept insisting. The more he insisted, the angrier I got. He was actually trying to apologize, in his own way I guess. I just felt it was too little, way too late. Before I knew it we were arguing and he accused me of being unreasonable and unforgiving. I think maybe part of me was afraid that he was accusing me of becoming like him. I just got so mad, and then he started to walk away." Dylan stopped and wiped his eyes. "I was so tired of his excuses and accusations. It didn't matter to me if he was sincerely sorry because who knows if he's ever sincere."

"That's not fair Dylan." Diana interjected.

"And then what happened?" Sara asked quietly.

"I pushed him. He tried to walk past me and I pushed him back. I didn't realize how close we were to edge and he was unsteady on his feet. By the time I noticed he was slipping it was too late. I reached for him but I couldn't –" Dylan stopped then and just shook his head.

No one said anything for at least five minutes. They all just sat, consumed by their own thoughts and feelings.

Finally Sara looked up at her brother. "So you planned to let everyone think it was an accident. You came back here and talked it over with mom. Then the two of you decided to just leave him there, in the cove, until someone else found him?"

"I had just lost my husband Sara, I wasn't about to lose my son." Diana's eyes pleaded with Sara to understand her decision.

"I just can't believe you weren't even going to tell_ me_ the truth, how could you think I wouldn't figure it out?"

"I didn't want you to have to choose between me and your obligations because of your job. I hated that you would be put in that position." Dylan reached for his sister's hand and squeezed it gently.

"The funeral is the day after tomorrow and then you can both go back to your lives. It was an accident. Sending Dylan to prison won't change the fact that your father is dead. I couldn't bear it Sara, please think about it. We are your family, nothing is more important than that."

"I need some time to think, on my own." Sara stood and quickly retreated to her room up the stairs.

Sara sat on the bed and let the tears flow. She loved her brother and she felt she owed him for the years that he had protected her from their father. How could she turn him in now? How could she fault him for what he did, especially since it was an accident? He was responsible for their father's death and it could mean prison time, even if he got a plea. It would ruin him, his career, and his life. It was burden that Sara did not feel she could bear. _I need help._

The numbers on Sara's phone blurred together as she tried to dial. She had opened the floodgates and could not close them.

Grissom was half asleep when his phone began to ring. Startled, he nearly knocked the receiver on the floor.

"Grissom."

"Gris, it's me."

"Sara? What's wrong?" Grissom could tell Sara was crying and his heart leapt into his throat.

"I need your help. Everything has just gone so wrong. I don't know what to do."

"Sara, what do you mean, what's gone wrong?"

"I can't talk about it on the phone. It's too important."

Grissom sat on the edge of his bed holding the phone with one hand and pinching the bridge of his nose with his other. He was confused.

"Gris, I don't know what to do", Sara repeated. "I'm – lost."

Grissom was unexpectedly hit with the desperation in Sara's voice. Something _was_ terribly wrong. "Is your parents address in your personnel file?"

Sara was momentarily bewildered by Grissom's question. "Uh, yeah I think so."

"I'll be there tomorrow."

TBC


	6. The Guest

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine.**

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: Again, your reviews are truly appreciated! Special thanks to indiegurl2008, my new beta. This story is taking on a life of it's own and I think it is going to be longer than orginally planned. I will try and continue to update quickly...**

During the taxi ride to McCarran airport Grissom made a mental note to get Catherine a gift for her willingness to cover his shifts for the next two days. She had seemed surprised at his request, especially since Sara was still on leave. He had expected her to press him for more particulars but she didn't ask why and he was grateful for her restraint.

As he thought about the phone call that had prompted his impulsive decision, his pulse quickened. He had never heard Sara sound so desperate, and – afraid. He was so relieved that she was willing to reach out to him for help when she apparently needed it the most. _I won't disappoint you Sara, I promise._

The journey from Las Vegas to San Francisco was less than two hours, but seemed like a lifetime. When the plane finally landed, it took every ounce of patience Gil had not to mow people down as he dashed through the airport. He decided to call Sara while waiting in line to rent a car.

"Hello?" Sara answered the phone on the first ring, hoping it was Grissom.

"Sara, it's me. I'm glad you took your cell phone with you, I didn't want to have to explain to your mother who I was."

"She knows who you are. I didn't tell her or Dylan that I talked to you, but I suppose I should." Sara sat on her bed and took a deep breath.

"Well, I'm at the airport now so maybe you should give them a head's up."

"Yeah, I will. Do you need me to pick you up?"

"No, I'm getting a rental car right now. I will probably have to go back to Vegas before you do and I didn't want you to have to worry about driving me around."

"Okay. Um, Gris, I didn't expect this you know? I was really upset when I called you yesterday and I'm sorry -

"Sara, you have nothing to apologize for. I just want to help you." Panic suddenly struck Grissom as he thought that perhaps she didn't want him there.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you, thanks." Sara sounded genuinely appreciative and Grissom let out a sigh of relief.

"I booked a motel a few miles from your mother's house."

"Why? Grissom, that's ridiculous, you can stay here. There's plenty of room."

"I didn't want to assume and I thought it might be...awkward."

"Please, cancel the motel. You are more than welcome, trust me."

"Ok, I'll see you soon."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sara and her brother hadn't talked much since the previous day's revelation. Sara had avoided him and her mother. It was just too painful to talk about their current predicament. Sara had taken a long walk on the beach and drove into town to visit a bookstore she had frequented as a child. She returned late and missed dinner so she went straight to bed. She lay awake for hours and when sleep finally came, it was filled with troubled dreams. She awoke several times, often with her face wet with tears she shed in her dreams. Sara was not looking forward to her family's reaction to the news that Grissom was arriving soon and staying at the house. But a part of Sara was still so angry for their deception that she didn't care what they thought. She needed Grissom's advice and support and they were going to have to accept that.

After hanging up with Grissom, Sara went downstairs, she saw Dylan on the phone in the kitchen. Her mother was reading in the living room. She looked up at Sara with the eyes of someone who had endured too much in one lifetime.

"We missed you yesterday. Where did you go?"

"Nowhere really, I just walked down the beach."

"Did you at least get some dinner?"

"No, I wasn't very hungry. I spent some time at Ella's Books."

"Well, we have no shortage of food in this house. The Browns from across the street stopped by yesterday and brought even more. What would you like?"

"I'll take a look in a minute. Who's Dylan talking to?"

"The Examiner, they needed the final obituary."

Sara nodded as she remembered the phone call she never made.

"Mom, I have a friend arriving today."

"Who?"

"Gil Grissom."

Diana's eyes widened and she sat up straighter. Sara could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she considered how he could complicate her carefully weaved plan.

"I don't think that is a good idea Sara."

"I'm sure you don't." Sara leaned back in the recliner and waited for her mother to continue to plead her case.

"I know he is your friend, but he's your boss Sara and he works for the police. What have you told him?" Diana was standing now and her volume was increasing.

"Nothing yet. I just need some advice mother. Someone with an unbiased perspective that isn't emotionally involved in what is happening here."

"That's absurd Sara. This is a family matter and it should stay that way! Dylan!"

Sara rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Dylan had been standing in the hallway. He entered the living room and looked pointedly at Sara. She knew he must have heard the entire exchange.

"Sit down mom, please." Dylan was amazingly subdued as he sat on the couch.

"It seems we are about to have a new guest. Did you hear what your sister did!?"

"Yes and I think she has every right to confide in a friend if she needs to."

"This is not just any friend, Gil Grissom is – "

"I know who he is mother and I know what he means to Sara, if she wants him here then, so be it."

Diana threw her hands up and looked at her son like he had just grown another head. She couldn't believe he was siding with Sara. Knowing that any further discussion was futile, she left the room.

Sara looked at her brother and offered a small smile of thanks. Dylan nodded and smiled sadly. "I look forward to meeting him. I only wish it was under better circumstances. Maybe one day, it will be."

"What does that mean?" Sara asked.

Without a word, Dylan went back to the kitchen.

TBC


	7. The Bench

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine.**

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: I thought this story could with a good "Bench Scene" ;) – Thank you all so much for your reviews. Thanks again indiegurl2008 for the beta work. Any remaining errors are mine. This is a long chapter so please enjoy...**

Grissom knocked on the door to the The Silent Cove while taking deep breaths in a conscious effort to calm his nerves. His earlier conversation with Sara had helped allay his fears that his company was unwanted, but he was apprehensive about meeting her family.

A slight shadow appeared through the stain-glassed window on the front door. Sara could not help but smile at the sight of Grissom. She forced back tears as he pulled her into a hug. He had been there for less than a minute and she already felt overwhelmed by his presence.

Sara led him to his room which was opposite her own. Sara noticed her mother had prepared the room as she would for any guest; being the perfect hostess was in her blood, even if she didn't really like the guest.

Grissom set his bag on the bed and quickly took in his surroundings. Meanwhile, Sara stood in the doorway unsure of what to say. There was just so much she wanted to tell him and she wasn't sure where or when to begin.

"This is a great room, nice view." Grissom said as he pulled up the blinds and looked out the bedroom window.

"This room and my room, the one across the hall, have the view of the ocean. When I was a little girl I always wanted the ocean view. It reminded me that there was a whole other world outside of this house."

Grissom nodded and turned back to Sara. He noticed that, although beautiful, she looked exhausted. Her dark brown eyes were dull and sad, and the dark circles told stories of sleepless nights. He wished that by just holding her he could make all the pain and sadness go away; He knew that was impossible but it didn't make the wishing stop.

"Where is your family?"

"My brother had to go down to the city on business. He's looking forward to meeting you tonight. My mom is gardening in the greenhouse out back. It's always been a kind of therapy for her." Sara paused and shifted on her feet before changing the subject. "So, are you hungry? It's almost lunchtime, I'm sure my mother will be in to make something soon."

"I'm o.k. I had brunch on the plane."

Sara wrinkled her nose at the thought of an airline's idea of brunch. Grissom chuckled softly at her expression.

"It wasn't too bad actually and I was too hungry to be picky."

"Well, maybe we could go for a walk, I really want to show you something."

"Sure." Grissom walked over to the bed and started to open up his overnight bag.

"I'll let you get settled and freshen up or, um, you know...whatever." Sara blushed a little at her stammering. "I'll be downstairs when you're ready."

Grissom stared at the empty doorway for a moment before searching through his bag for a warm sweater.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They followed the trail above the beach in a somewhat comfortable silence. It was cold and mildly breezy. The overcast sky seemed to be darkening. Grissom decided to break silence first.

"It looks like it might rain."

"Hmmm..." Sara nodded and looked up. "Whoever decided to call California the Golden State has never been to Tamales Bay."

Grissom was glad for Sara's levity considering the circumstances. "Actually, the state's nickname that was adopted in 1968 had nothing to do with the weather, it was originally a reference to California's modern development with the discovery of gold in 1848. Plus, the state flower is the golden poppy and it used to flourish – "Grissom stopped when he realized Sara had stopped walking. She was giving him _that_ look., then she started laughing. Grissom couldn't believe it. "What?"

"Ohmigod Gris – you _would_ know that." Sara shook her head and smiled at Grissom's flushed cheeks. "Don't be embarrassed, I find it very...reassuring."

Her smile quickly faded as Sara realized they were nearing the cove. She walked slowly to the edge of the cliff and looked down. Grissom walked up beside her.

"This is where it happened." Sara said softly.

Grissom followed her line of sight and leaned forward slightly.

"Where, what happened?"

"My father, he died right here. A woman walking her dog found his body on those rocks Monday morning."

Grissom was shocked to hear that her father died on the beach, this wasn't the type of "accident" he was expecting. As Sara's words sunk in, he looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Monday? But I thought your mother called you Thursday."

"She did." Sara stepped back and looked further down the trail. "There's a bench just off the trail if we keep walking."

"O.k."

XXXXXXXXXXX

The brown wooden bench was cold and damp but neither occupant seemed to care.

Sara relaxed a little when she saw there was no one around, Grissom had so many questions but wanted Sara to confide in him whenever she was ready. So he waited.

"I have tried for weeks to talk to you about my family, my counselor thinks it's important that you know some of my history so you can better understand the problems I've had lately. I think that it's important too, especially now." Sara crossed her arms across her chest and took a deep breath before continuing. "My father wasn't an obvious alcoholic. I suppose many aren't. He was very subtle, a social drinker who morphed into a mean drunk. When I was younger, we usually only had guests on the weekends except in the summer. My brother and I looked forward to the summers. When we had guests, he behaved himself. He was the perfect host and husband. I guess he was just smart enough to never let anyone see mom with bruises."

Sara could feel Grissom watching her intently. If she was going to get through this, she couldn't look at him.

"When I was 8, I woke up during the night and I heard my parents arguing. To this day I don't really know what it was about. I got up to use the bathroom and I saw light from their room streaming into the hallway. Their door was cracked open and I could see my mother's face. She was...terrified. Her lip was split open and one of her eyes was already starting to swell. I was so scared for her and myself but mostly I was just angry. I hated him and I just wanted it to stop. I gathered up every ounce of strength I could find and I ran into their room. The only thing I could think to do was to scream. So I did. I stood in front of my mother, faced my father and screamed bloody murder. My father just looked at me like I had lost my mind, I closed my eyes and kept screaming hoping that when I opened them again he would be gone. But that didn't happen. The next thing I knew I was slammed into the wall. I was in his way so he... removed me. He had never hit me before and I was stunned. I lay on the floor holding my head while a pretty good goose egg formed. My mother was yelling at him and he was telling her to shut up. My brother just appeared at my side and he pulled me up and dragged me out. He took me back to my room and got ice for my head. He made me promise to never try something like that again. He was only 12 years old but he became my protector. We always stayed out Dad's way and he never hit me again. My mother wasn't so lucky."

Sara paused then and her voice cracked as a lone tear escaped her left eye. She reached up to wipe it away but Grissom beat her to it. With a bent forefinger he gently brushed her cheek. Sara shuddered at the contact and struggled to re-focus her thoughts. _I have to finish this; it's now or never._ Grissom lowered his hand and let it rest on her shoulder.

"One day when I was 13, I came home from school and my mom didn't greet me like she typically did. I remember the house was eerily quiet, I resisted the urge to run up to my room and hide. I needed to find my mom. I quietly searched the entire house terrified my dad was hiding somewhere. I went into the laundry room last and I noticed the backdoor was slightly open. I made sure that my dad was not around and slowly opened the door. I saw her lying at the bottom of the steps that led up to the greenhouse. I ran to her and tried to wake her up but it was obvious she had hit her head so I ran back into the house and called 911. My brother came home shortly after that, and a neighbor drove us to the hospital. My dad of course was nowhere to be found. Dylan and I knew he had done it. He finally turned up the next day claiming he had been away on a business trip, such bullshit. My mother was unconscious for 3 days. She had a broken ankle and a head injury. When she finally woke up we were so sure she would tell the truth, she would expose him and kick him out, but she didn't. She told the police that she fell. They suspected my father, but she wouldn't press charges so the investigation was dropped. Later, she told us that my dad had promised to never hit her again. Apparently nearly killing her had changed him. Dylan was 17 when this happened and he no longer intimidated by Dad. He confronted him and threatened to kill him if he ever touched mom or me again. He would be leaving for college in less than a year and I think he needed to know we would be ok. Dad stopped drinking and got counseling. After that I rarely heard my parents argue and he never got violent. Dylan came home from college for a visit one year over Christmas break. Even though Dad had changed, the damage had already been done. His relationship with us was strained to say the least and he and Dylan fought nearly the entire holiday. Dylan went back to college and he never visited again. I couldn't reallyblame him. We talked every week...we still do."

Sara leaned her head back and realized Grissom's hand was now resting on her neck under her hair. She kept telling herself to sit up and pull away but her body betrayed her and she leaned back further. She closed her eyes for a moment and almost forgot there was still more to tell.

TBC...

**A/N: I know, I know, I'm sorry it's a terrible place to stop – more soon I promise :)**


	8. Choices

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine. **

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: I am so glad you are enjoying this as much as I am. So, I said the last chapter was long and actually it really wasn't. I meant to say that about this chapter and got them confused. ;) Sorry! This one is long(er)and took me awhile to write; I kept changing my mind on the direction this was taking. I hope you like the end result. Thanks again for the reviews, they keep me going!**

"Sara?" Grissom said gently. He watched her eyes flutter open and she leaned forward. She rested her head in her hands while balancing her elbows on her knees.

"I can't imagine how difficult it is for you to tell me all this. I'm really… proud of you."

"There's more." Sara leaned back against the bench and shivered.

"I'm listening." Grissom reached for Sara's hand. She stared at their intertwined fingers before looking up and locking eyes with Grissom. She seemed to be agonizing over how to continue, but Grissom's gesture relaxed her and she let the rest of the story flow out.

"My brother didn't get here the same day I did. He arrived last Sunday. He told me that Dad asked him to go for a walk. They followed the trail out to the cove. They had an argument and apparently Dad tried to walk away, but Dylan…he pushed him and he fell. I know it wasn't intentional; I believe Dylan never meant to hurt him. He went back to the house and told my mother what happened. My mother convinced him to just leave Dad there on the rocks. After a stranger found his body, my mother told the police my father had been walking alone and must have slipped and they believed her. It rained heavily that night and so there wouldn't have been much evidence to prove otherwise. Apparently, no witnesses either. So when I got here, she told me the same thing. Dylan didn't want me to know the truth because he knew what an awful position it would put me in. My mother thinks that after the funeral tomorrow we can just go back to our lives and continue pretending it was a simple accident. She was right about one thing, if Dylan goes to prison it won't bring dad back and it will ruin Dylan's life. I tried to make myself believe I'm glad my dad is dead, but that's not true. Despite what he did to this family, he was still my dad. Mostly though I'm just so sad and scared for Dylan. I don't know what to do Grissom, it's...unbearable."

Sara lost the battle with the tears that had been pooling in her eyes. She lowered her head as Grissom put his arm around her and drew her closer. She willingly buried her head on his shoulder and let his warmth envelope her.

Several minutes passed before he finally spoke.

"Sara, you know I'm not here as a CSI or your supervisor. I'm here for you as a concerned friend." _Maybe soon more than a friend, when the time is right._ "I can't tell you what you should do and it isn't my place to tell your brother to turn himself in." Grissom paused then as Sara lifted her head and leaned back. Grissom didn't move his arm. "What I can tell you is what I would do if I was in your situation."

Sara nodded slowly then turned her attention out to the ocean while waiting for Grissom to carry on.

"I've dealt with a lot of people who have been directly or indirectly responsible for the death of another person. Many of them feel no guilt or remorse for what they've done. Others may feel guilty and remorseful but only because they don't want to have to pay for their crime, they have no real empathy for their victim. Then there are those who are put in an impossible situation. Their actions involuntarily lead to the death of another and they immediately feel guilty and remorseful and they empathize with the one they've killed, no matter what that person may have done to them. These ones simply cannot live with the fact that they contributed to the death of another human being. Whether they confess the same day or 20 years later. It always catches up with them and they usually regret not doing the right thing sooner."

Grissom stopped speaking and gently turned Sara's head towards him with his free hand. He needed to look in her eyes to make sure she clearly understood what he was trying to say.

"It's not your choice to make Sara. This isn't your fault or your responsibility. I know you feel you owe your brother because he took care of you and protected you from your father. But maybe all you owe him right now is your trust. If you truly believe that it was an accident and that if not for your mother's influence your brother would have told the truth, then you just need to give him time. I'm not condoning what he did, you know that, but if it were my brother and I knew him the way you seem to know Dylan, I would give him chance to make things right. Give him time to be the honest person you know him to be."

Sara took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. She wanted to speak but was so drained she wasn't sure she could form a coherent sentence. She was amazed that he could read the situation so clearly. Within hours of his arrival he had managed to take days of anxiety off her shoulders. But then again, that was why she called him.

"Gris, you're right. I trust him, I always have. I know he'll do the right thing." Sara offered Grissom an unconvincing smile but at least she had stopped crying. " Will you stay for the funeral tomorrow?"

"Of course. I'm here for you Sara and I'm not leaving until you want me to."

"What if I never want you to go?" Sara could scarcely believe the question had come from her mouth. The last she wanted to do now was scare him away by hinting at the ever-present tension of what to do about '_this'_. But Grissom didn't look scared; he looked pleased.

"Then I'll stay forever."

This time Sara's smile was not only convincing it was electric.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom and Sara took their time as they walked back to the Silent Cove B&B. Grissom seemed in no rush to let go of Sara's hand and she didn't mind. Sara had suggested going into town for coffee without admitting that she just wasn't ready to introduce Grissom to her mother. Grissom sensed her apprehension and suspected she was stalling, but he was grateful to have more time alone with her. As they neared the end of the trail, the dark clouds that had been threatening to open up finally gave way to a torrential downpour. Grissom clumsily covered their heads with his jacket and they quickly took refuge in Sara's rental car.

They drove into town and had coffee in a small café while watching tourists dart in out of doorways on Main Street, trying to avoid getting wet. They didn't feel the need to talk and sat quietly enjoying each other's company, although distracted by their own thoughts. Grissom was still worried about Sara and berated himself for being so hard on her in the past. He hated that he had let his own fears and insecurities push her away when she made it so clear all she wanted was to be close to him. He hoped it wasn't too late to make amends. So far his gestures and comments had been well received and he hoped it would continue. The true test would be what happened when they were back in Vegas. _I won't hurt you again Sara; please give me another chance._

Sara was lost in own reverie, mourning her losses, past and present. She wasn't expecting to feel this way. She thought the anger would stay forever. _I guess mom was right after all, at least about grieving._ She felt Grissom staring at her and she turned her attention away from the window. She held his gaze and wondered what he was thinking.

"I'll buy you another coffee if you tell me what you're thinking?" Sara offered.

Grissom looked at his empty cup, a half-smile forming on his lips. "Nice try, but I've had enough."

Sara frowned and considered pressing him about it, but then decided that if it were important, he would tell her when he was ready.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom followed Sara up the steps to her mother's house. She had been pleased to see her brother's car parked in the driveway. It would make conversation easier with her mother. They entered the house and peeled off their wet outerwear. Sara led the way down the hall and into the living room. Dylan was sitting on the couch with his laptop. His finger stopped tapping on the keys as Sara and Grissom crossed the threshold.

"Hey, you're back." Dylan put his laptop on the coffee table and stood to greet the newcomer.

"Yeah, we went into town. Um, Dylan this is Gil Grissom. Grissom, my big brother, Dylan Sidle."

"It's nice to finally meet you Dr. Grissom, Sara has told me a lot about you." Dylan started while shaking Grissom's hand.

Grissom raised a curious eyebrow at Sara and then looked back at Dylan.

Dylan chuckled softly, "Don't worry, it was all good things."

"Please, call me Gil." Grissom replied, intrigued that Sara had talked about him with her brother.

"Really, from what I hear Sara doesn't even call you that."

As Grissom smirked, Sara blushed a bright shade of red and quickly changed the subject.

"So Dylan, where's mom?"

"Right here." Diana stood in the doorway directly behind Sara.

"Mom, hi. This is – "

"Mr. Grissom, welcome to The Silent Cove."

"Thank you. You have a lovely home."

Diana nodded and forced a smile. "We like it. Well, I hope everyone's hungry, dinner's ready."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, Gil, have you been to this part of California before?" Dylan decided to break the ice at the Sidle family dining table.

"Yes, I've consulted in San Francisco before but this is my first time in Tamales Bay."

"Hmm…a shame it couldn't have been better circumstances. This really is a nice town to visit."

Grissom nodded and took another bite ofEggplant Parmesan.

"This is good mom." Sara attempted to force her mother to speak.

"Thank you." Diana replied curtly while reaching for her wine.

Sara knew her mother was not going to make this easy. She caught Grissom's eye and he gave her a subtle smile. Sara knew it was his way of telling her it was o.k. that her mother wasn't on her best behavior. Dylan saw the entire exchange and suppressed a smile himself. Sara had always confided in him about her feelings for Grissom and he was glad to have the opportunity to see she was not entirely wasting her time. It was obvious to him that the eccentric entomologist shared her feelings even if he had yet to declare them.

"How long will you be staying?" Diana finally asked.

Grissom looked up and realized Sara's mother was looking at him. "Oh, um – Sara asked if I would attend the funeral tomorrow. So if it'salright with you and Dylan, I'll stay for that and maybe head back to Vegas in the evening or Sunday morning. It's really up to Sara."

Diana raised an eyebrow and looked at her daughter. "I see."

Sara avoided her stare and concentrated on her mashed potatoes like they held the secrets to the universe. She knew her mother's attitude went beyond the fear she had of losing her son to prison. She didn't approve of Sara's career choice and the last thing she wanted was her daughter hooking up with another CSI who happened to be her supervisor and 15 years her senior.

Dylan decided it was a good time to intervene. " Gil, of course it's fine if you attend the funeral. We appreciate you taking the time to be here for Sara."

Grissom offered Dylan a small smile of thanks and stole a glance at Sara who was looking a little pink.

"Well, if you will all excuse me, tomorrow is going to be difficult and I'm very tired so I think I'll turn in early." Diana left her nearly full plate on the table and retired to her room.

"Gris, I'm sorry about her." Sara sighed while aimlessly moving her food around. She had no appetite.

"Don't be Sara; I expected it to be a little awkward, remember?" Grissom reassured her.

"Things will be better after tomorrow. We all just need some closure." Dylan interjected quietly.

Sara looked at her brother and then at Grissom. His eyes held a question she did not have an answer to.'Closure' was something Sara was not sure she was prepared for.

TBC


	9. Surrender

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine. **

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: Thanks again to indiegurl2008, my great beta! Keep the reviews coming everyone; they are so helpful. **

Grissom had finally fallen asleep around 3 am. His body clock tended not to cooperate, even when he was exhausted. He awoke hours later to a knock on his bedroom door. He sat upright in bed; shocked that someone was in his house and knocking on his door. But as his vision cleared, he remembered that his bedroom did not have yellow and white gingham checkered curtains. _This is not my room._ The knocking started again, a bit louder this time.

"Grissom, are you still sleeping?"

_Sara_. Grissom cleared his throat, "Um, no I'm awake, what's wrong?"

"Nothing really, it's just that it's almost 10 and the funeral starts at 10:30." Sara explained through the door.

"Sara, you can open the door." Grissom replied loudly while reaching for his white T-shirt at the foot of the bed.

The door slowly opened and Sara peaked her head in first to ensure Grissom was ready for her. Satisfied that he was decent, she walked in and shut the door behind her.

"Morning." Sara smiled and leaned back on the door.

"Yes it is, I'm sorry, I got to sleep late." Grissom apologized. He noticed then that although Sara was dressed for a funeral, she looked stunning. Her hair was swept up in a French twist with a few stubborn stray hairs wisping around her face. Her dress was a black, long-sleeved v-neck that fell just below her knee and clung slightly in all the right places. Grissom realized he was holding his breath as Sara started talking again.

"I know, me too. Did you still want to come with me this morning?"

"Yes, of course. I'll have a quick shower and get dressed. How much time do I have?"

"About 15 minutes." Sara replied, checking her watch. "Dylan is taking my mom over now. I'll go tell him we will meet them there."

"Ok." Grissom nodded and started to climb out of the bed. He stopped when he remembered he was only wearing a T-shirt and boxer shorts. The last thing he wanted to do this morning was embarrass Sara. Sara, however, was already out the door and she shut it with a soft click.

After his shower, Grissom decided to check-in with Catherine while he finished dressing.

"Willows"

"Cath, its Gil, how are you?"

"Gil! I was getting worried; I don't think we've gone more than 24 hours without speaking to each other on our cell phones."

"Funny. I just wanted to let you know that I should be back no later then tomorrow afternoon so I can be at work tomorrow night."

"Thank god because the boys and I pulled a double last night, this morning, whatever. It's been crazy here." Catherine paused a minute then added, "What about Sara?"

"What about her?" Grissom's pulse started to accelerate. He hated being evasive with Catherine; she always knew when he was hiding something.

"When will she be back?"

"Oh, I'm not sure; I haven't talked to her about that recently. When she originally asked for leave she said she'd need one or two weeks so don't expect her back anytime soon."

"Well, when you see her, tell her we're all thinking of her." Catherine suppressed a snigger as she waited for Grissom to respond.

"Catherine, I don't know what you are talking about." Grissom replied, trying desperately to sound mystified.

Catherine snorted into the phone and Grissom could picture the exasperated look of disbelief on her face.

"Just tell her. I'll see you tomorrow." The phone went dead.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Sand Dollar Funeral Home & Memorial Park was the largest of its kind in Tamales Bay. It had a good reputation and the Memorial Park was a majestically landscaped cemetery with views of the ocean from many hilltop plots. It had surprised Sara to learn that her parents had actually purchased side-by-side plots years ago. It was so unlike them. Sara was sure they would want to be cremated and have their ashes scattered out at sea or buried at the base of a tree in Redwoods National Park. Perhaps Dylan was right, people really do change, even parents.

As they entered the funeral home, Grissom gently placed his hand on the small of Sara's back. She felt the warmth of his hand and it was extraordinarily comforting to her. Grissom watched as she graciously responded to the condolences of her family's friends and neighbors. They continued walking to the front row of seats where Diana and Dylan sat talking with Diana's family. Sara introduced Grissom to her Aunt Ruth and Uncle Matthew as well as two cousins that she didn't seem to hardly know herself. After a few awkward moments of small talk, the service began. Diana had asked an old family friend who happened to be a minister to give the eulogy.

Sara listened as he spoke about Jack Sidle, a man she realized that she really didn't know at all. He talked about a fun loving and caring person that loved his family. Sara found the familiar anger and resentment starting to resurface and she struggled to keep her expression neutral. Grissom could sense her tension and he took her hand, squeezing it softly, silently encouraging her to stay calm. Dylan was seated on the other side of Sara staring through the speaker. He found it hard to focus as he anxiously waited for his time to speak. His mother had begged him to speak on behalf of the Sidle family. Under the circumstances, Dylan wasn't sure how he could possibly stand up in front a room full of family and friends and talk about his father. He had decided to keep it as simple and honest as possible.

Sara noticed her brother's hands shook slightly as walked to the podium. Usually he was epitome of grace under pressure, as he was used to the cutthroat corporate world. But she knew that his current dilemma was nothing he had ever experienced before. When he glanced up she caught his gaze and gave him supportive half-smile. It seemed to relax him a little. Sara was surprised when Dylan began speaking about their childhood. She was amazed how much he remembered. He spoke of memories of good times that had long been buried by the bitterness in her heart. There were family vacations and, in fact, entire summers where their home had been a peaceful place. As the images flooded back to her, Sara was suddenly struck with a feeling she never expected. Guilt. She actually felt guilty that all she remembered of the first 13 years of her life was the pain.

Dylan eloquently skirted over the fact that as adults he and his sister had a virtually non-existent relationship with their father. Instead he focused on his parents enduring business partnership and marriage. He spoke briefly of the volunteer work they were committed to, mainly related to protecting Tamales Bay State Park and its natural resources. Sara assumed their mother had told him to mention it. Dylan ended with a wish that he had known his father better and that he hadn't taken time for granted.

"Don't make the mistake of living your life as if you can always make amends tomorrow. Live each day as if it were your last and hopefully, you will have no regrets."

After thanking everyone for their support on behalf of the Sidle family, Dylan returned to this seat and closed his eyes. Sara gave him a quick one-armed hug but her face remained stoic.

Grissom watched Sara closely and worried that she was putting up a strong front for her brother at her own expense. He knew the uneasiness she must still be feeling, despite his advice, but there was nothing either of them could do now but wait.

At Memorial Park, dark clouds and a strong wind prophesied an eminent storm. Sara trembled in spite of her heavy wool coat and charcoal cashmere scarf. Grissom noticed the movement and tightened his arm's grasp of her shoulders. As the coffin was lowered into the ground, he felt her lean against him more and he suspected that he was the only thing keeping her upright.

The storm hit during the drive back to the Silent Cove. Sara rode in silence watching rain pound the passenger window. The funeral had been harder than she thought it would be and she contemplated the minister's eulogy and her brother's final words.

"What are you thinking?" Grissom asked hesitantly.

Sara continued to stare out the window. "I never really knew him. Who would have thought I would actually regret that."

Grissom nodded in understanding and they remained silent the rest of the journey.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The house was nearly full of people by the time Sara and Grissom arrived. Sara wanted to get back in the car with Grissom and just drive away, but she knew she couldn't abandon her family. As they approached the front steps Sara stopped walking and looked at Grissom.

"Let's go around the back to the greenhouse for a little while; unless you are hungry now." Sara suggested.

"No, I'm fine." Grissom replied shaking his head.

Sara led Grissom around the side of the house and down the long driveway to the back gate. He held her umbrella as they scaled the steps to the greenhouse. Once inside, Grissom followed Sara to a back corner where there was a small bistro table and two chairs. Grissom admired the vegetation that had obviously been lovingly cared for.

"Your mother has quite a green thumb."

"Yes she does. This place has always been her…sanctuary. I couldn't come in here for years after that day, you know. It didn't bother her, but I just couldn't walk up those steps without thinking of her falling down them." Sara voice cracked a little and she looked away from Grissom. Grissom opened his mouth to speak but a distant voice drew his attention.

"Sara?" Dylan called.

"I'm here."

"Oh, there you are, I searched the whole house." Dylan gently reprimanded her, and then he smiled briefly at Gil.

"Sara, I need to talk to you."

Grissom took that as his cue to leave and he began to stand.

"No, please Gil, stay." Dylan requested.

Grissom raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to protest, but Sara touched his arm and applied slight pressure to guide him back to a sitting position.

Dylan grabbed a folding chair from against the wall and sat in it facing Sara.

"Sis, I'm going to tell the police the truth."

Sara's jaw dropped slightly. "Wh-, when did you decide this?"

"The day you arrived actually, it's what mom and I were really arguing about yesterday morning. She thinks she convinced me not to do it but I just wanted to wait until the funeral was over to break it to her again, as gently as possible."

Sara thought for a moment and then she looked pointedly at Dylan. "No wonder you didn't mind that I had called Grissom. By then you had already decided to turn yourself in."

Dylan nodded and glanced at Grissom. "Actually I was glad you would have someone to support you. I didn't want you have to deal with mom on your own. It's just that Dad didn't deserve to die like that. The truth is he was sober and good to mom for the past 20 years. People really can change Sara. I just didn't want to hear it. I was determined not to believe him.

"Dylan, tell me what Dad said." Sara tried to prepare herself for the truth.

"He was apologizing for his drinking, for the abuse, for everything. He was ashamed and he just wanted me to listen to him and at least consider forgiving him, but I wouldn't even listen. He was right; I was being unreasonable and unforgiving. I told you before I was afraid he was telling me that I was turning out to be like him. I think he was actually trying to warn me not to. He didn't want me to be like him – stubborn, angry and maybe eventually…violent." Dylan's voice shook as he considered the possibility. "He knew the odds of a child from an abusive family becoming an abuser. He didn't want that for me. Maybe he even knew that I hold myself back out of fear. I have no wife, no kids. You think it's a coincidence that I'm a hopeless workaholic instead."

"So am I." Sara practically whispered.

"I know sis, and it's time to stop letting the past hold us back."

Sara had never been so relieved and so distraught at the same time. As the weight of Dylan's words sunk in, she felt the emotions she had been pushing down the entire morning begin to bubble up and overwhelm her. Dylan leaned forward and pulled her into an embrace; she sobbed quietly on his shoulder for several minutes. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, but it's the right thing to do, you know that." Dylan whispered. He held onto her for few more moments before looking at Grissom. "Gil, take care of her for me, ok?"

Grissom nodded slowly. He was amazed that a man he barely knew trusted him to take care of his little sister. Sara had been right to put her faith in him; her brother deserved it. Dylan lifted Sara from his shoulder and Grissom saw her face. His heart broke at the sight of Sara's tear-stained cheeks.

Dylan kissed Sara's forehead before leaving the greenhouse and returning to the house.

Grissom got up from his chair and bent down in front of Sara. He gently placed his hands on her swollen cheeks. "Sara?"

Sara lifted her head and struggled to focus. She noticed then that his eyes were slightly misty and his hands were trembling. Her heart leapt into her throat at his palpable display of emotion.

"I would have taken care of you even if he hadn't asked me to. You are not alone; not anymore."

Grissom's final words were barely more than a whisper as his closed the distance between them. When Sara did not move away, even when he was sure she knew his intentions, he gently pressed his lips against hers. Her lips were warm and slightly salty from the tears.

Sara wasn't quite sure what was happening until moments before their lips met. It took a second for her to respond and yet when she did, she was a fierce participant. Her hands went around Grissom's neck and she pulled him closer to her while he dragged them to a standing position. She needed to be closer, as close as possible, and she kissed him with all the fervor of a woman in mourning who needs the comforting touch of a lover. He deepened the kiss in response to her passionate reciprocation. After a few moments, the need for oxygen drove them apart and Sara buried her head against Grissom's neck. Neither moved nor spoke for several minutes.

"I needed that." Sara said softly.

"Me too." Grissom smiled and held Sara tighter.

TBC 

**A/N: I had some requests for GS fluff so I hope you enjoyed the last scene. I've been trying to be realistic so I didn't want to rush the GSR, but there will be more later too, I promise! ;)**


	10. Amends

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine.**

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: I'm so glad you liked the last chapter – I really found my groove with that one. Thanks again for your awesome reviews!**

Diana Sidle stood at the front door of The Silent Cove saying final goodbyes to her sister Ruth and her family. It had been a draining afternoon and she was grateful everyone was gone, well nearly everyone. Gil Grissom was still a guest in her house and his influence on her children was unwelcome. As she entered the living room, Dylan and Sara stopped talking rather suddenly. Diana gave them a puzzled look before settling in an armchair.

"Where's your friend? Packing?" Diana asked avoiding Sara's eyes.

Sara bit her tongue and reminded herself that Dylan was about to tell their mother some bad news so she should cut her some slack. "As a matter of fact mother, he is."

Diana was noticeably surprised and made a feeble attempt to hide how pleased she was. Sara just ignored her mother'sreaction and waited for Dylan to start talking.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom packed his overnight bag slowly, trying to ignore the arguing going on one-story below him. His door was open a little and he occasionally caught his name being shouted. Out of context it was rather unsettling, but he heard Sara defending him more than once and he couldn't help but smile at her tenacity.

He had been surprised when Sara agreed that he should return to Vegas on a late flight so he could get some sleep and go in early for tomorrow's shift. She knew Catherine and the guys must have been working hard to cover for both of them and she didn't like to burden them. Grissom had told her it was okay for him to stay if she needed him to, but she insisted that she felt strong enough to handle the next few days. She planned to return to Vegas after Dylan was arraigned and a plea bargain was worked out. She had friends at SFPD who would be willing to help and she was confident things would go smoothly.

They hadn't talked about the kiss they shared in the greenhouse but it wasn't necessary. They seemed to have an unspoken understanding that their relationship had changed forever. There was no going back and Grissom wouldn't want to. The past few days had only reinforced his belief that he had wasted enough time. _Carpe diem._ He was relieved that Sara had responded to his advances, but he also realized that she was in a highly emotional state at the time. This fact spawned a niggling voice in his head that made him wary of how things would unfold once they were back in Vegas. He was determined to be positive and grateful that, deserved or not, she had seemingly given him another chance.

The shouting had stopped some time ago and Grissom heard footsteps outside his door. Sara knocked lightly before pushing the door open.

"Come in." Grissom closed his bag and placed it on the floor.

Sara closed the door behind her and gave Grissom a pitiful smile before collapsing on the bed.

"So, that went well." Grissom said facetiously.

Sara relied with a mirthless laugh. She lay on her back staring at the ceiling, her dress lifting up slightly exposing her thigh. Grissom attempted to be subtle as he memorized every curve from her bare feet to the brown locks elegantly twisted on her head.

Sara's voice woke him from his daydream. "Do you mind if I just lay here for the rest of day?"

"Of course not." Grissom tried not to sound too eager while he sat on the edge of the bed.

"You know, I can't blame her for feeling the way she does. Her mind tells her it's the right thing to do; her husband deserves justice. But her heart just wants to protect her son."

"It's an impossible situation." Grissom agreed.

Sara sat up slowly and leaned against Grissom as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Grissom couldn't help but grin and he put his arm around her waist.

"What time is your flight?"

"11:15. Sara, are you sure you want me to go?"

"It's not that I _want_ you to go, it's that you _need_ to go and I understand. I'll be fine, really." Sara said sincerely.

Grissom frowned for a moment before conceding. "Alright."

"Dylan told us that he resigned from his job and put all his financial affairs in order while he was in the city yesterday. It's amazing how organized he is despite everything that must be going through his mind right now."

"That must be a Sidle family trait."

Sara gave a Grissom a dubious half-smile. "Is that your subtle way of saying that I'm a control freak?"

Grissom chuckled and planted a kiss on Sara's temple. "I didn't think I was that subtle."

Sara elbowed Grissom in the ribs before standing up and crossing her arms in a vain attempt to appear hurt. She glared down at his smirking face but she couldn't suppress a laugh. It amazed her that he could make her forget all her worries, at least for an instant, with a simple look. It had been a long time since that had been the case. He had been the cause of stress and anxiety she felt for so long that it was an incredible relief he was now the respite from it.

"How about we go out for an early dinner before my flight?" Grissom suggested.

"Sure. I don't think my mother wants to see us right now anyway. Dylan insisted it wasn't our fault that he's doing this but she can be very…stubborn." Sara thought for a moment. "There's a great Italian place in Point Reyes. I could see if they could take us at 5:30?

"Sounds perfect."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

La Dolce Vita was a cozy seaside Italian bistro with live music and singing waiters. Sara had been to Max's Opera House in San Francisco where the waiters also sang, but she preferred the food at La Dolce Vita. It was also more romantic, but she was unwilling to admit to herself that that factored into her decision. The hostess seated them immediately at a quaint candlelit table against the wall, directly to the left of the small stage. Since it was early, the restaurant was only half full and the singing didn't appear to have started yet. Grissom was pleased to have Sara all to himself on his last night in Tamales Bay. He wished they had more time and that their purpose for being in town had been a happy occasion, but he was quickly becoming a believer in the proverb that said 'every cloud has a silver lining.' Although their friendship seemed to be getting back on track lately, he was so glad to have had the opportunity to show her he wanted more than just a friendship. Sara seemed more at ease with him than ever before and he hoped it would last when they returned to their lives in Vegas.

Sara admired the changes in décor the restaurant had made since she was last a patron. Mustard-colored faux painting on the walls complemented the rich burgundy tones of the tablecloths and window treatments. Ivy vines made of silk scaled down the walls from high shelves that housed countless wine bottles. _Wine sounds really good. _Sara had been hesitant to drink around Grissom, even though she knew she didn't have a problem with it and had told him so. When the waiter brought the wine list, she hoped he would speak up first to assure her that he trusted her.

"So, does anything in particular sound good to you or do you want me to choose a bottle?" Grissom asked while perusing the list.

Sara smiled and chided herself for having doubted him. "Whatever you choose is fine as long as it's red."

"Of course." Grissom looked up from the list and smiled back.

The service at La Dolce Vita was excellent and in no time at all Sara was devouring her cheese and spinach filled manicotti. Grissom seemed to be thoroughly enjoying his lasagna. He had asked her if watching him eat meat lasagna would bother her. She was so impressed by his consideration all she could do was shake her head 'no' in response.

The pianist took the stage and singing began around 6:30. Sara was pleased to see their waiter taking the stage. He was short, thin and looked young and she had been skeptical about his talent when she first saw him. He opened with "'O Solo Mio" and sang it with such incredible enthusiasm Sara and Grissom sat looking stunned. He had an incredible voice and when he returned to their table and refilled their wine glasses they told him so. Several more waiters and waitresses took the stage singing a variety of Italian love songs, show tunes and even some modern opera, which was surprisingly good. Unfortunately, it all just made time pass too quickly.

"I hate to say it – but I need to go." Grissom said glancing at his watch.

"I know. It's fine, I'm too full for dessert anyway." Sara replied.

Grissom paid the bill and retrieved their coats from the cloakroom.

On the drive back to the house they chatted about work and Grissom relayed the message from Catherine. They grew quiet as they neared the house and Sara realized she was afraid to say goodbye to Grissom. So much had changed between them in a short amount of timethat she was worried he would crawl back into his shell the moment he boarded the plane. Grissom worried that Sara would decide he didn't deserve another chance once she was away from the emotional atmosphere of her childhood home. Perhaps he had served his purpose and she would cut him off and throw herself into her work. They were so preoccupied with their insecurities that they sat for several minutes not moving or speaking after Grissom parked the car.

"Well, I should get my bags. I want to say goodbye to your brother and thank your mother for her hospitality." Grissom said finally.

Sara looked at Grissom and snorted. Her mother had not exactly been hospitable. Grissom knew exactly what Sara was thinking.

"Nevertheless." He said with shrug.

"O.k." Sara reluctantly opened the car door and followed Grissom across the street to the house.

Grissom went upstairs to get his bag while Sara looked for her family. She found Dylan in the living room tapping away on his laptop. Dylan put his laptop down on the table as Sara sat next to him on the couch.

"So, how was dinner?"

"Good. I took him La Dolce Vita."

"Hmm…romantic." Dylan observed.

Sara rolled her eyes and gave him a playful punch in the arm. It had been helpful for her to have Dylan to confide in about Grissom all the years since college. She couldn't help but wonder how often they would actually get to talk if he ended up with a prison sentence.

"Where's mom? Grissom wants to say goodbye."

"In her room, but I think she's still awake. I'll go get her." Dylan offered.

Dylan passed Grissom on the stairs and told him he would be right back. Grissom placed his bags by the front door and joined Sara in the living room. A few minutes later Dylan re-entered the room with his mother trailing closely behind.

"Gil, I want thank you for coming here and staying for the funeral. I know your presence was very helpful to Sara and I'm glad I had a chance to meet you." Dylan said earnestly as he shook Grissom's hand.

"Well you're welcome and I want you to know I would do anything for your sister. I hope…I just hope you find peace." Grissom said awkwardly. It was hard for anyone to find the right thing to say in a situation like this, especially Grissom.

"Mrs. Sidle, I want to thank you for your hospitality and offer my condolences again for your loss."

"I'm glad your room was comfortable. Have a good flight Mr. Grissom." Diana replied dryly. "Please excuse me, it's late and I'm very tired."

After her mother left Sara let out a deep breath. Her mother could be unpredictable lately and the last thing she wanted was a sudden outburst at Grissom's expense.

"I'll walk you out." Sara said and she headed for the door.

The temperature had dropped considerably and Sara shivered while standing beside Grissom's car without her coat on. Grissom threw his bags on the back seat and shut the door. He walked up to Sara and on an impulse wrapped her up with him in his coat. Sara's initial reaction was to tense up, but she swiftly pushed it aside and let herself relax into the heat his body was emanating.

"Thank you so much. You saved me." Sara said softly onto his cheek.

"We saved each other." Grissom said, tightening his grip.

Sara pulled back and looked into his eyes with an intensity that he hadn't seen before.

"What?"

"Nothing." Sara looked down and started to pull her arms away. Grissom stopped her and reached out to lift her head up.

"Sara, I know that we have a lot to talk about and there is so much I want to tell you. It shouldn't have taken this tragedy in your life to force my hand. I was a coward and I believed it was too late for us. I don't feel that way anymore. If everything does go smoothly with your brother, maybe you'll have some time to think about us. What I'm trying to say is, whenever you are ready, I'll be waiting."

Grissom felt like his heart was beating out of his chest as he watched Sara's expressions as she considered his words. Suddenly, she reached up and placed her hands on his cheeks and tugged him into a soft kiss. Grissom barely had time to react before she pulled away and started to walk towards the house. Halfway across the street she turned around. A Sidle smile danced on her lips as she spoke.

"I miss you already."

TBC

**A/N 2: If you ever visit Point Reyes, don't expect to find La Dolce Vita - I made it up. Max's Opera house in Frisco is very real and I have been served by waitestaff with excellent voices. Anyway, I am soon off to Las Vegas, for real! My husband and I are spending 4 days in Sin City for our anniversary. Fingers crossed CSI is shooting on location this week ;). So, I won't be updating again for at least a week but I suspect I will be totally inspired to finish this story off upon my return. One, maybe two more chapters to go! Thanks for reading!**


	11. Reality

**DISCLAIMERS: The CSI characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine. **

**SPOILERS: None.**

**A/N: Well everyone, I had a great time in Vegas but CSI was not filming there at the time so no, I didn't see Grissom :(. But I did of course get a CSI T-shirt; no trip to Vegas is complete without one! Anyway, thanks so much for the reviews, I read them all when I got back. I am almost sad to finish this story up, it was my first WIP and I loved every minute of it. So, this is the final chapter and I hope you are not disappointed. Thanks indiegurl2008 for the final beta work :).**

It had been four days since Grissom returned from Tamales Bay and as he sat at his desk, he found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on work. He hadn't talked to Sara yet but she had left a message on his cell phone. He cursed at himself again for missing her call. He had been so distracted lately that he had actually locked his phone and keys in his townhouse when he was leaving for work. _Stupid self-locking doors._ Of course, that was the exact moment Sara had called.

_"Griss, it's me. I was hoping talk to you before you went to work. Umm, I just wanted to say that everything has been worked out with the ADA here and they offered Dylan a plea. If Dylan is lucky and gets time off for good behavior, he'll be out in about 4 years. Anyway, we can talk about it all later. I really just wanted to… hear your voice. I'll be back soon." _

A knock on his office door returned Grissom to the present and he looked up to see Catherine settling in the chair across from him. She gave him a sly smile before speaking.

"So, have you talked to her?"

"Who?" Grissom asked, feigning ignorance.

Catherine sighed and pretended to be fascinated with her newly manicured nails.

Grissom reluctantly decided he was too irritable to play their usual game.

"If you are referring to Sara, then no, I haven't talked to her."

Catherine looked up then and raised an eyebrow.

"But," Grissom continued, "she did leave me a message earlier and said she would be back soon, so I would translate that as by the end of the week."

Catherine nodded and thought for a minute. "I would have expected her to be back right after the funeral, workaholic that she is. Is there something else going on?"

Grissom avoided Catherine's prying eyes and shuffled a few papers around on his desk. He opened his mouth to tell her he knew nothing else, but it wasn't necessary, a noise in the doorway drew their attention.

"Hey, there you are. So, we got some work to do tonight or what?" Warrick started as he entered the office with Nick close on his heels.

Grissom was grateful for the interruption. "Uh, yes we do, I was just about to organize assignments. I'm sorry, I'm running a little late tonight."

"We heard you locked yourself out of your house. That must have been a first, huh Griss?" Warrick asked.

"Yeah boss", Nick interjected, "you've seemed kind of…distracted lately. Any reason?"

Grissom decided to ignore the questions and began handing out assignments. Catherine gave Grissom a brief knowing smile as she took her assignment slip.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Sara threw her two small bags into the back of the rental car and shut the door. She took a deep breath and walked back to the house where her mother stood on the porch.

"I'm glad you decided to keep the house." Sara said lightly.

"Me too. I've already lost so much, I don't think I could bear to part with it." Diana replied sadly. "I have your father's insurance money so I can afford to open the B&B on the weekends in the busy season only. Your father always handled the majority of the bookkeeping so I'll probably hire some help until your brother gets out. I want to have a job ready for him."

Sara winced a little at her mother's words. "You know mom, you haven't lost me."

Diana nodded slowly and faced her daughter. "I know honey, I didn't mean to imply that I had. We haven't seen eye-to-eye recently but you are still my daughter and I love you. It's just that you aren't around; you never visit and rarely call. I know you avoided me because of your father and you have painful memories that make you reluctant to come home. Maybe those will never go away, but one day I will be gone too and what I really want is for you and I to have a good relationship. Any relationship would be better than the way it's been."

Sara knew her mother was right and she decided that even if her mother didn't approve of her career choice or even her choice in men, she was determined to make more of an effort. Her father's death and her brother's situation had changed things.

"I'll call you mom, I promise. I'll try and visit every few months too, when I go to see Dylan."

"Maybe we could go visit him together sometime." Diana suggested.

"Yeah, that'd be good." Sara agreed. "Well, I have to go, my plane leaves at 2:15."

"I know. Sara, I'm glad you stayed with me. I couldn't have said goodbye to Dylan without you. I know you did a lot to help him and I want you to know I don't blame you or your… friend for the way things turned out. I was just scared and angry the day of the funeral and I said many things that I didn't mean." Diana said sincerely.

Sara was quiet for a moment. She was somewhat amazed at her mother's admission and she wasn't sure how to respond.

"Mom, it's okay, it doesn't matter. I'm tired of looking backwards; it's time to start over and move forward from here. It's what Dylan wanted and it's what I need."

Diana nodded and smiled gratefully at Sara. Sara hugged her mother goodbye and took one more stroll down the trail to the cove. She said a brief farewell to her father while staring out at the ocean. Feeling more at peace with her past than ever before, she drove away from The Silent Cove of Tamales Bay.

XXXXXXXXXX

Grissom stared into his fridge in search of something edible. He was so tired when he got home from work that he had just crawled into bed. He awoke with a throbbing headache and a growling stomach. So here he was searching for something to soothe his head and his stomach. He finally settled on a fruit smoothie and was trying to locate his blender when he heard a knock at the door. He looked at the clock over his head. _4:10 pm. Who could that be?_ Grissom padded over to the door and gasped slightly when he checked the peephole. He unlocked the door and opened it quickly.

Sara looked up as the door swung open and she smiled widely at the first sight of Grissom. She couldn't help herself. Without a word, Grissom smiled back and moved aside to let her in and closed the door behind them. Sara started to follow Grissom into the living room but stopped as she remembered her bags. She opened the front door and retrieved them. Grissom glanced back to see what she was doing and looked at her, puzzled.

"Are you moving in?" He asked rather matter-of-factly.

Sara replied with a nervous laugh and set her bags down by the door.

"I came straight from the airport." She explained.

"You haven't been home yet?"

Sara shook her head and looked away from Grissom's curious gaze.

"Why not?" Grissom asked.

Sara still avoided his eyes and she blushed slightly. "I – I couldn't wait."

"For what?"

"To see you." Sara replied simply. "I was in the cab and the driver asked me where I wanted to go. I started to give him my address but it just felt wrong. I didn't want to go home, I wanted to come here."

Grissom's eyes brightened even more as he stepped closer to Sara and then slowly wrapped her up in his arms. He turned and softly kissed her head, breathing in deeply the subtle yet familiar aroma of her shampoo. Sara relaxed into his welcome embrace as she continued talking.

"I really just wanted to tell you that…I'm ready."

THE END


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